Scots Language Policy published

Published: 03 Jun 2015

Creative Scotland is today publishing its first Scots Language Policy, underlining the organisation’s commitment to supporting the language through its own work and the work that it funds across the arts, screen and creative industries.

A key element of the policy is the creation of the role of Scots Scriever, a first for Scotland, and a joint initiative between Creative Scotland and the National Library of Scotland. This role, open to applications from today, will be a two-year residency, based at the National Library of Scotland
supported with funding from Creative Scotland.

The purpose of the role of Scots Scriever will be to produce original creative work in Scots, its variants and dialects, across any art-form, as well as raising awareness, appreciation and use of Scots across the country and amongst all parts of the population.

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Creative Scotland’s Scots Language Policy was published today at an event hosted by the National Library of Scotland and attended by Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs and the writer and Scots publisher, James Robertson.

“The Scottish Government’s ambition is for the Scots language to be recognised, valued and used in Scottish public and community life. The Scots language is an essential part of Scotland’s distinctive culture and heritage, and the Scottish Government takes seriously the promotion of
the Scots language throughout Scotland in all its regional and local variants.

“In adopting this policy, Creative Scotland acknowledges the contribution the Scots language has brought, and continues to bring, to Scotland’s rich culture and heritage, in a country with over 1.5 million Scots speakers.”

James Robertson said:

“I welcome this strong statement of commitment and intent from Creative Scotland. It recognises Scots both as a part of the identity and daily life of hundreds of thousands of people, and as a special national cultural asset. I hope this policy encourages creative individuals and organisations
throughout the land to engage with Scots in all kinds of ways. This is not about looking back, whatever the language’s past achievements: it is about ensuring that Scots goes forward to be seen and heard in the future.”

Jenny Niven, Head of Literature, Publishing and Languages at Creative Scotland said:

“We have provided support for Scots across a range of art forms for many years now including literature, theatre, music and film. What this policy does, however, is provide focus for our efforts to support the language in all its variants and dialects, generating a sense of renewed energy and
intent. We are particularly pleased to be working in partnership with the National Library of Scotland to host the new Scots Scriever role which will further support the work to support Scots undertaken by us and many other organisations.”

Dr John Scally, National Librarian at the National Library of Scotland said:

“We are delighted to be working with Creative Scotland in creating this exciting new writing role, as part of our continuing commitment to the Scots language. Our collections are rich in Scots and include some of the earliest examples of written Scots through to writers such as Robert Burns,
Hugh MacDiarmid and, in more recent times, Irvine Welsh.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Creative Scotland’s Scots Language Policy is published today, 3 June, and can be found here.

The role of Scots Scriever is jointly supported by Creative Scotland, with funding of £50,000, and the National Library of Scotland who will host the role, provide administrative support and access to their Scots archive.

This is a unique type of writer residency with a high level of public engagement, a creative response to Scots collections at the National Library of Scotland, and regular ongoing output in Scots all required throughout the tenure.

The purpose of the Scriever residency is specifically:

to produce original, creative work in Scots (any variant or dialect) in any genre or discipline throughout the tenure

to have explicit responsibility for raising the profile, understanding and appreciation of creative work in the Scots language, including that held within the National Library’s collections.

The residency runs for a period of 2 years, based at the National Library, with an approximate engagement of one week per month throughout that time. It is anticipated that around 50% of the time will be spent on producing new creative work and 50% on the profile raising/public engagement aspect of
the role. Applicants are encouraged from across Scotland; a travel bursary is available as part of the role.

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. We do this through funding, development, advocacy and influence and we distribute funding from the Scottish Government and
the National Lottery.

We want Scotland to be a country where excellence and experimentation across the arts, screen and creative industries is recognised and valued; everyone can access and enjoy artistic and creative experiences; places and quality of life are transformed through imagination, ambition and an understanding
of the potential of creativity; ideas are brought to life by a diverse, skilled and connected leadership and workforce; Scotland is a distinctive creative nation connected to the world.

Scots Language Policie publisht

Creative Scotland is publishin its furst Scots Leid Policie, the day, underlinin the organisation’s commitment tae supportin the language throu its ain wurk an the wurk that it gies siller tae across the airts, screen an creative industries.

A heidmaist element o the policie is the makkin o the job o Scots Scriever, a furst fur Scotland, an a jynt initiative atween Creative Scotland an the Naitional Librarie o Scotland. This job, open tae applications fae the day, will be a twa-year residencie, basit at the Naitional Librarie o Scotland
uphauden wi fundin fae Creative Scotland.

The ettle o the role of Scots Scriever wull be tae mak oreeginal creative wurk in Scots, its sindrie kins an dialects, athort onie airt-form, as weel as raisin awareness, appreciation an yaise o Scots across the kintra an amangst aw pairts o the population.

“The Scottish Government’s ambition is fur the Scots language tae be kent, gien wurth an yaisit in Scottish public an hameart life. The Scots language is a heichmaist pairt o Scotland's kenspecklt culture an heritage, an the Scottish Government taks tent o the forderin o the Scots language
throughoot Scotland in aw its regional an local sindrie kins.

“I welcome this strang statement o commitment and intent frae Creative Scotland. It recognises Scots baith as a pairt o the identity and daily life o hunners o thoosans o folk, and as a byordnar national cultural asset. I hope this policy gies a steer tae creative bodies and organisations oot-through
the land tae engage wi Scots in aw kinds o weys. This isna aboot lookin ahint, whitiver the language’s bygane achievements: it is aboot makkin shair that Scots hauds forrit tae be seen and heard in the future.”

This is a unique kinna scrieven residencie wi a high level o public engagement, a creative repone tae Scots collections at the Naitional Librarie o Scotland, an regular ongaun ootput in Scots aw required throughoot the tenure.

The purpose o the Scriever residencie is:

tae mak original, creative work in Scots (sindrie kin or dialeck) in onie genre or discipline throughoot the tenure

tae hiv explicit responsibilitie for heizin up the profile, unnerstaunin an appreciation o creative work in the Scots language, includin awthin haud within the Naitional Librarie’s collections.

The residencie runs fir a period o 2 year, basit at the Naitional Librarie, wi roon aboot wan week per month throughoot that time. It is expectit that aroon 50% o the time will be spent on makkin new creative wurk an 50% on the profile raisin/public engagement aspeck o the role. Applicants are encouraged
fae athort Scotland; a traivel bursary is available as pairt o the job..

Creative Scotland is the public bodie that supports the airts, screen an creative industries athort aw pairts o Scotland fur awbodie who lives, wurks or veesits here. We dae this throu fundin, development, advocacie an influence an we gie oot fundin fae the Scottish Government an the Naitonal Lottery.

We want Scotland tae be a kintra whaur excellence an experimentation athort the airts, screen an creative industries is recognised and gien wurth; awbodie can tak pairt an enjoy artistic an creative experiences; places an qualitie o life are transformed throu imagination, ambition an an unnerstaunin
o the potential o creativitie: ideas are brocht tae life bi a diverse, skilled an connectit leadership an wurkforce; Scotland is a kenspecklt creative nation connectit tae the wurld.